Malacañang said government officials should be judged by their actions and service, not by the clothes they wear, amid criticism over Pampanga officials seen wearing designer clothing while responding to communities affected by Habagat flooding.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the statement after Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and her son, Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, drew criticism online for wearing branded clothing during inspections and disaster response operations in flood-hit areas of the province.

“Ang pagseserbisyo po ay hindi nakikita sa damit, nakikita po ito sa gawa,” Castro said.

She said the more important question is whether government leaders are visible, responsive and actually helping their constituents during times of need.

Castro noted that an official may appear simple or even work under the rain but still fail to provide meaningful assistance.

“Mas maganda po na tingnan ang leader sa trabaho, sa gawa at hindi po sa damit,” she said.

Malacañang, however, stressed that public officials should still be sensitive to the situation and feelings of Filipinos experiencing hardship, trauma and grief following a disaster.

Castro said what may be considered expensive for ordinary Filipinos may already be normal attire for some officials, but she emphasized that leaders should remain mindful of how they present themselves while interacting with disaster-stricken communities.

“Still, siguro kailangan ding maging sensitive, lalong-lalo na kung ang mga kababayan natin ay nakakaranas ng hirap, trauma at kalungkutan,” Castro said.

Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, also requires government officials to lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income and prohibits extravagant or ostentatious displays of wealth.

Governor Pineda has since addressed the criticism, saying she and her son do not regularly wear designer clothes and apologizing if their choice of attire during the flood response offended the public.

“Salamat sa wake-up call,” Pineda said in an interview, adding that their priority remained responding to the needs of flood-affected residents.

Pineda maintained that provincial officials continued working around the clock to address the effects of flooding and provide assistance to affected Kapampangans.

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